


a mighty ocean or a gentle kiss

by timelxrd



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, alternative ending, ish, thirteen is a romantic and i will stick by this forever
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:13:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22146970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/timelxrd/pseuds/timelxrd
Summary: She spouts theories and concepts Ada can barely follow like a mad scientist, but in her eyes storms brew, laying in wake behind rings of green and flecks of gold. There’s a sense of loss there, of sorrow and anger and loneliness.
Relationships: Thirteenth Doctor/Ada Lovelace
Comments: 24
Kudos: 108





	a mighty ocean or a gentle kiss

“ _ You’re _ **_important_ ** _ ,” the Doctor had said, brandishing her arms out, palms up, expression a mixture of bewilderment and joy and giddiness; like a child discovering something for the very first time.  _

_ After the impossible events of the day, Ada found herself believing every word.  _

_ She really was quite important.  _

The Doctor, no less, is quite the intriguing woman. She spouts theories and concepts Ada can barely follow like a mad scientist, but in her eyes storms brew, laying in wake behind rings of green and flecks of gold. There’s a sense of loss there, of sorrow and anger and loneliness. 

She’s only known her for the length of a day, but Ada can read her like a book. 

It’s a shame, therefore, when the time comes for them to return to their time in history and continue living on in a linear fashion. 

“Did I tell you how much I love  _ Twenty Jataka Tales? _ Brilliant stories, those are. I read them when I can’t sleep,” she can hear the Doctor enthuse towards Noor on her way out of the blue doors, leaving Ada to wait patiently in the console room. She’s in no rush to go home, though, so she examines the perfectly engineered metal woven around the centrepiece with her usual inquisitiveness. 

She must be from another world, Ada concludes, when the curious flick of a switch draws a vapour-like image of a fish to the surface. 

“Steganography,” the Doctor announces from the doorway, startling the younger woman into a bid to defend herself. “Hiding an image or message  _ inside _ another image.”

“I was simply alleviating the metal of dust, I promise,” Ada defends bashfully, stepping away from the console as the image dissipates into the air like breath in winter air. 

When the Doctor simply smiles as though she knows every path Ada will choose to take in her life, she relaxes. “No need to apologise for being curious, Ada. Curiosity is a brilliant thing," she ponders, flitting her long dark coat aside to shove her hands into her pockets. 

“It is not quite fit for a lady, perhaps,” Ada divulges, but in the vicinity of the Doctor’s sympathetic smile, the words feel a little more forced, a little false. “But I will be sure to keep that in mind.”

“Right, then, let’s get you home,” the Doctor announces with a clap of her hands, moving about her ship as though nature deems her the true pilot. 

The ship rumbles beneath her feet and, curling both hands around the nearest solid object in reach, Ada stands as an observer as her new friend navigates her ship. 

When she next steps outside the doors, it’s as though nothing ever happened. They’re back at the office and suddenly, she doesn’t quite  _ want _ to go home. 

“Doctor?” Ada says, fingers toying at the material of her lace gloves as she follows the mysterious blonde into the room. “Does this have to be the end? All the things I’ve learned,” she pads further into the room, low heels tapping against wooden floorboards. “The advances, the machines — I would dearly love to see more.” 

“I’m afraid—” The Doctor falters for a few, tentative moments before stepping forward, capable hands raising. “I’m afraid I need to do something about that.” But she seems reluctant, eyes cast with guilt as she closes the distance between them. 

Saddened, but determined, Ada steps back with each approaching movement until a weathered office chair stops her. “What do you mean?”

“I’m ever so sorry, Ada.” A hand raises, long fingertips homing in on her temple, and Ada swallows thickly. 

“D— Doctor, what are you doing?” 

“I have to — it’s — Ada, I have to wipe the things you shouldn’t have knowledge of,” the Doctor insists gently, imploring her not to make her task any harder than losing a new friend as special as her a mere day after their first meeting. There’s a fleeting potential there, and it’s enough to make her hesitate a touch longer. 

Ada takes the extra time to her advantage, but she doesn’t back away. Not quite yet. “But I want that knowledge. Don’t take it away. Please —” 

“Ada,” the Doctor sighs, ducking her head as her hand falls away. “I have to. It’s the rules.”

“Who’s rules, Doctor?” Ada murmurs in return, determined to keep and hold and cherish her new memories in the name of motivation; of self-belief; of her significance in the world. “I thought you said I was important.” 

“Oh,  _ Ada, _ ” the Doctor sighs, raising her hand once more but it instead lands against her cheek this time, warm and solid and perfectly moulded to her unblemished skin. “You are so,  _ so _ important. They’re going to write books about you. They’re going to teach children about your discoveries in schools. You are far more significant than you know.” 

“So let me keep my memories, Doctor,” Ada hums, leaning into the Doctor’s hold when her thumb brushes moisture from the corner of her eye. “Please.”

“I can’t do that, Ada. I’m so,  _ so  _ sorry.” 

The remorse in her tone eases the tension in Ada’s shoulders and she meets her piercing olive gaze in reluctant acceptance, offering up a faint, slow nod without removing herself from the other woman’s bold touch. “In that case, please grant me one last thing.”

“Of course,” the Doctor sighs, breaths falling in a slow descent upon Ada’s bottom lip. 

She looks tired, but whether it’s physical or mental, Ada can’t tell. “Anything, Ada.” 

When Ada closes the remaining centimetres between them to press a delicate, chaste kiss to the Doctor’s lips, she interrupts the other woman’s surprised hum. 

So, when the blonde responds in kind, Ada is relatively taken aback. It’s a gentle meander between restrictions and warnings and judgement on Ada’s side, but for the Doctor, it’s a breath of fresh air; a revelation, and frankly she’s a little put off she hadn’t experienced this sooner. 

Their kiss is slow and gentle but there’s a definite yearning in the Doctor’s gut when she draws back, tingling lips pressing to the corner of Ada’s slightly open mouth in a sullen gesture that as much as she’d love to continue, they really mustn’t. 

“I’m so sorry, Ada,” Ada hears the Doctor whisper hoarsely seconds before a tender brush of fingers against her temple renders her thoughts blank and her body limp. 

Lowering the younger woman into the armchair behind her, the Doctor crouches at her side with a hint of colour to her cheeks. She takes her hand, bringing her knuckles to her lips. “You don’t need a preview, Ada. You’ll figure it out before anyone.” She glances back to the TARDIS, sat quietly in the corner of the still room. “The first to see potential in things like that. To work out what  _ could  _ be — what they can  _ really _ do.” 

When Ada breathes a sigh in her induced slumber, the Doctor tilts her head, features softening. “Computers start with you,” she whispers, tone quietening. She sets her hand in her lap in favour of leaning in to press her lips to her forehead. 

“Sweet dreams, Ada Lovelace.”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading folks!!! comments and kudos are always appreciated!!!


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